An Angus delivery driver spent more than £3,000 of his employers’ money on roulette machines.
Martin Deas Cook stole £3,234 from G&A Spink wholesale fishmongers in Arbroath.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how Cook had confessed to a colleague via text messages that he had stolen the money and “gambled it away”.
The 53-year-old has a previous conviction for embezzlement from Aberdeen Sheriff Court in 2002.
Jurors unanimously found him guilty of embezzling the money while working as a delivery and collection driver between June 1 2015 and October 31 2016.
The offence was committed at various chip shops in Coatbridge, Motherwell, Airdrie, Hamilton, Newton Mearns, Denny and Stonehouse.
Cook was initially charged with embezzling £49,632 from G&A Spink.
Roulette machines
He returned to the dock for sentencing before Sheriff Alastair Carmichael following the preparation of reports.
Solicitor Brian Bell said Cook’s “unsophisticated” crime was brought about by gambling difficulties.
He said: “There were text messages back and forth and it is accepted that he had taken the money and gambled it away.
“He was trying to win the money back, it was roulette machines so the money went very quickly.”
Sheriff Carmichael ordered Cook to perform 180 hours of unpaid work and placed him on a restriction of liberty order.
This will keep him indoors between 11pm and 7am for the next three months.
